Southern highbush blueberry plant named ‘TH-1334’

ABSTRACT

The new variety ‘TH-1334’ ripens around mid-April in southeastern Georgia. The fruit of the new variety ‘TH-1334’ are very large, firm, have good flavor and scar. The new variety ‘TH-1334’ is vigorous with an estimated chilling requirement of about 50 to 100 hours at or below approximately 7° C. The asexually reproduced variety is reliably propagated vegetatively.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH

This invention was made, in part, with U.S. Government support on behalfof U.S. Department of Agriculture, Hatch Act Grant No. GEO 01663. TheU.S. Government has certain rights in this invention.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: ‘TH-1334’ is asouthern highbush blueberry plant that is a Vaccinium corymbosum.

Variety denomination: The new southern highbush blueberry plant claimedis of the variety denominated ‘TH-1334’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the discovery of a new and distinctcultivar of southern highbush blueberry plant botanically known as aVaccinium corymbosum and herein referred to as ‘TH-1334’, as hereindescribed and illustrated.

The new blueberry plant variety ‘TH-1334’ was selected in Griffin, Ga.in 2010. The new variety ‘TH-1334’ is very early season, and beginsripening in South Georgia before the early varieties of ‘TH-819’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 24,696) and ‘Rebel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,138). Thefruit of the new variety ‘TH-1334’ are large with favorable firmness andgood flavor. The new variety ‘TH-1334’ has acceptable yield and isvigorous with an estimated chilling requirement of about 50-100 hours ator below 45° F. when produced under typical low to mid chill productionregions.

Pedigree and history: ‘TH-1334’ was selected in 2010 at Griffin, Ga.,originating from a cross of ‘TH-639’ (female parent, non-patentedbreeding selection) X ‘Rebel’ (male parent, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,138)made in 2007 by D. Scott NeSmith. ‘TH-1334’ was asexually propagated byvegetative stem cuttings and tested in plantings at a blueberry researchfarm in Alapaha, Ga. in 2011.

Observations in plants of the ‘TH-1334’ variety have shown that theunique features of this new Vaccinium corymbosum ‘TH-1334’ are stableand have reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new blueberry plant variety ‘TH-1334’ has not been observed underall possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhatwith variations in environment and cultural practices, such astemperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed in Alapaha, Ga., andare determined to be the unique characteristics of the new blueberryplant variety ‘TH-1334’:

-   -   1. Large berry size;    -   2. Good berry flavor;    -   3. Favorable berry firmness; and    -   4. Very early fruit ripening.

The new variety ‘TH-1334’ can be compared to the southern highbushblueberry varieties ‘TH-819’ and ‘Rebel’.

Comparison: The selection ripens before ‘TH-819’ and ‘Rebel’ in theearly Georgia southern highbush season. ‘TH-1334’ has large, firmberries with good flavor as compared to ‘TH-819’ and ‘Rebel’ at Alapaha,Ga. over a 3-year period (Table 1). The female parent, ‘TH-639’, is anolder breeding selection that no longer exists. However, comparing pastperformances of ‘TH-1334’ to ‘TH-639’ demonstrated they both havesimilar chilling requirements of 50 to 100 hours below 45 F. ‘TH-639’berries had smaller berry size, weighing 2.5 to 3.0 g at first harvestand having berry diameters of 16 to 18 mm, compared to weights of 3.0 gto 3.8 g and diameters of 17 to 21 mm for ‘TH-1334’. ‘TH-639’ had betterberry color, averaging 8.0 to 8.5 on a scale of 1 to 10, compared to anaverage of 7.0 for ‘TH-1334’. ‘TH-639’ had an average plant vigor scoreof 7.5 compared to the score of 8.0 for ‘TH-1334’. Flowering dates andripening dates averaged similarly for the two varieties.

TABLE 1 Table 1 sets forth three-year average ratings of some fruit andplant characteristics of ‘TH-1334’ and standard cultivars ‘TH-819’ and‘Rebel’ from 2014-2016 in field test plots at Alapaha, GA. ‘TH-819’‘Rebel’ ‘TH-1334’ Berry size 7.2 7.7 8.6 Berry scar 7.3 7.5 7.4 Berrycolor 7.0 7.4 7.0 Berry firmness 7.0 7.5 7.8 Berry flavor 8.0 6.5 7.3Cropping 3.4 6.0 2.0 Plant vigor 8.5 7.5 8.0 Date of 50% Feb. 16 Feb. 27Feb. 7 flowering Date of 50% April 24 April 30 April 15 ripening Fruit67 62 67 development period (days) Rating scales are based on a 1 to 10score, with 1 being the least desirable and 10 being the most desirable.A value of 6-7 is generally considered to be the minimum acceptablerating for a commercial cultivar. These plants were established in 2011.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic illustrations show typical specimens infull color of the foliage, flowering, and fruit of the new variety‘TH-1334’. The colors are as nearly true as is reasonably possible in acolor representation of this type. The age of the plants depicted in thephotographs is between 6 and seven years old. The observations for‘TH-1334’ presented here have only been made in a temperate climate.Therefore, dormancy occurs and fruiting is only on one year old shoots.The environment is not conducive to seeing flowering and fruiting oncurrent season shoots.

FIG. 1 is a photograph of plants of the new variety ‘TH-1334’ duringflowering at Alapaha, Ga.

FIG. 2 is a close up photograph of the flowers of the new variety‘TH-1334’ at Alapaha, Ga.

FIG. 3 is a photograph of mature plants of ‘TH-1334’ during ripening atAlapaha, Ga.

FIG. 4 is a close up photograph of the ‘TH-1334’ fruit as it matures atAlapaha, Ga.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are photographs of the ‘TH-1334’ fruit.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Throughout this specification, color names beginning with a small lettersignify that the name of that color, as used in common speech, is aptlydescriptive. Color names beginning with a capital letter designatevalues based upon The R.H.S. Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition published in2007 by The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England.

The following is a detailed description of the botanical and pomologicalcharacteristics of the new variety ‘TH-1334’. Where dimensions, sizes,colors, and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood thatsuch characteristics are approximations and averages set forth asaccurately as practicable. The descriptions reported herein are largelyfrom three to 6 year old specimen plants grown in Alapaha and Griffin,Ga., with supplemental irrigation.

-   Plant:    -   -   Size.—1.3 to 1.6 m tall by 3 years. Plants grown under            highly productive soil and fertility conditions have            exceeded 1.6 m tall in 4 years. The plant crown, or base, is            narrow, typically 15 to 25 cm in diameter. Upper portion of            plant canopy reaches 1.2 to 1.5 m in diameter by 3 to 4            years.        -   Growth habit.—Plant is semi-spreading, with 2 to 4 main            canes arising from the crown, and multiple branching of            shoots from those canes above ground.        -   Growth.—Moderately to highly vigorous.        -   Productivity.—Medium to high crop/yield. Yields of 4 to 8            lbs per plant each year on plants 4 years old or older grown            under well-fertilized and irrigated field conditions. Frost            protection is required to reach yield potential due to early            flowering.        -   Cold hardiness.—Has been grown in Griffin, Ga. and Alapaha,            Ga., USDA hardiness zone 8a; similar to other early ripening            southern highbush varieties such as ‘TH-819’ and ‘Rebel’.        -   Chilling requirement.—Plants are very low chill, requiring            only 50 to 100 hours, more or less, of temperatures at or            below 7 C to induce normal leafing and flowering during the            spring under conventional dormant production systems. The            chill requirement is less than the male parent ‘Rebel’ (300            to 350 hours of chilling required), and the female parent            ‘TH-639’ (150 to 250 hours of chilling required).        -   Leafing.—Plants tend to break sufficient leaf buds            simultaneously with, or shortly after, anthesis.        -   Fruiting wood.—5 to 10 twigs 10 to 15 cm in length, with            internode lengths of 15 to 20 mm common.        -   Canes.—Diameter: Main cane base diameter 15 to 30 mm,            two-year-old cane diameter 10 to 15 mm, current season wood            diameter 3 to 5 mm. Color: RHS Brown N200C for main cane,            color transitioning from Yellow Green 145A to Greyed Orange            166C for two-year-old cane, and RHS Yellow Green 145A for            current season wood.        -   Disease and pest resistance.—No exceptional disease and pest            resistance or susceptibility observed. Typical for early            season southern highbush varieties such as ‘TH-819’ and            ‘Rebel’.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf color.—Healthy mature leaves Top side: Green RHS 137C.            Under side: Yellow Green RHS 147C.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic.        -   Leaf surface.—Glaucous, upper and lower.        -   Leaf margins.—Nearly entire        -   Leaf venation.—Moderately reticulated.        -   Leaf apices.—Broadly acute.        -   Leaf bases.—Acute.        -   Leaf dimensions.—Length: 60.0 to 70.0 mm. Width: 30.0 to            35.0 mm.        -   Petioles.—Small. Length: Small, 3.0 to 5.0 mm long. Width:            1.5 to 2.0 mm. Color: Yellow Green RHS 145C.-   Flowers:    -   -   Date of 50% anthesis.—3-year average February 7 in southeast            Georgia.        -   Flower shape.—Urceolate.        -   Flower bud number.—Medium to high, averaging 3 to 6 buds per            fruiting shoot.        -   Vegetative bud burst.—Beginning flowering for ‘TH-1334’ on 1            year old shoots is January 15 to 25 on average. Leaf bud            burst occurs nearer 50% flowering, or January 28 to February            5 on average for first leaf buds.        -   Flowers per cluster.—6 to 9.        -   Flower fragrance.—Slight “fresh cut” flower fragrance.        -   Corolla tube.—Color: White NN155C. Length: 10.0 to 11.5 mm.            Width: 8.0 to 9.0 mm. Aperture width: 3.0 to 4.0 mm.            Anthocyanin coloration: weak to medium anthocyanin            coloration in early stages of bud development, but it is            absent in nearly open or entirely open corollas.        -   Flower peduncle.—Length: 10.0 to 12.0 mm. Color: Yellow            Green RHS 145B.        -   Flower pedicle.—Length: 3.5 to 5.0 mm. Color: Green RHS            138C.        -   Calyx (with sepals).—Diameter: 7.5 to 9.0 mm. Color: Green            RHS 138C to Green RHS 138B.        -   Stamen.—Length: 7.0 to 8.0 mm. Number per flower: 10.            Filament color: Green White RHS 157C.        -   Style.—Length: 10.0 to 11.0 mm. Color: Yellow Green RHS            145B.        -   Pistil.—Length: 12.0 to 13.0 mm. Ovary color (exterior):            Green RHS 138B.        -   Anther.—Length: 4.0 to 5.0 mm. Number: 10. Color: Greyed            Orange RHS 165B.        -   Pollen.—Abundance: Medium. Color: Yellow White RHS 158B.        -   Self-compatibility.—The cultivar has a moderate degree of            self-compatibility.-   Fruit:    -   -   Date of 50% maturity.—April 15 in southeast Georgia (3-year            average).        -   Fruit development period.—67 days in southeast Georgia.        -   Fruit bloom intensity.—Medium.        -   Berry color.—With wax: Violet Blue RHS 98C. With wax            removed: Black RHS 203C.        -   Berry surface wax abundance.—Medium.        -   Berry flesh color.—Green White RHS 157B.        -   Berry weight.—First harvest: 3.0 to 3.8 g. Second harvest:            2.3 to 2.8 g.        -   Berry size.—Height from calyx to scar: 15.0 to 18.0 mm.            Diameter: 17.0 to 21.0 mm.        -   Berry shape.—Semi-disk shape, somewhat flat on bottom.        -   Fruit stem scar.—Medium, dry, with little or no tearing upon            harvest.        -   Calyx.—Depth medium, 2.0 to 3.0 mm; width medium, 5.0 to 7.0            mm; sepals typically not highly visible, erect when present,            <<1 mm.        -   Berry firmness.—Very firm.        -   Berry flavor and texture.—Sweet, slight crispness, smooth            texture, mildly (medium) acidic, aromatic.        -   Storage quality.—Very good.        -   Suitability for mechanical harvesting.—Unknown.        -   Uses.—Primarily to be used as fresh fruit for shipping and            processing markets.        -   Infructescence (fruit clusters).—Medium density or            “looseness”.-   Seed:    -   -   Seed abundance in fruit.—Medium, with 5 to 10 fully            developed seeds per berry.        -   Seed color.—Greyed Orange RHS 165B.        -   Seed dry weight.—55.8 mg per 100 seeds.        -   Seed size.—1.8 to 2.1 mm long.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of southern highbushblueberry plant named ‘TH-1334’, as illustrated and described herein.